Swirls of red. Red brick. Red light. Red blood. They swirled together in my vison blinding my every step. They formed a cube and engulfed it. The spirals became clearer, and the cube became a small, green box with two words: “Fertility Test”, and it was on fire.
I have been alive for a long time, perhaps too long in this remnant of a world. Since the Calamity, over 55 years ago, life has been difficult. I was in the war. I saw the crashes, the injuries, and the blood. The enemy stared me in the face. I feel the vibrations still, in my bones, rattling from the bombs. They took my vision, with their weapons. It comes back sometimes, but they took my colors. The enemy took my colors, but they gave me visions. I can predict the future, you know. They usually tell me where to find my butterflies. But today was bigger than butterflies. Today is for anarchy.
I need working eyes to follow the vision. I need Sameaul.
I traveled two days to Gamma Town West Side. It should not have taken two days, but the sounds of the river carried me too far. I could sense Sameaul’s house from the sound of hedge clippers breaking through the silence of the forest. We had met twice before, when I was hunting for butterflies. Sameaul never had visitors, and was too old for a profession in the Gamma Guild. I knew he would believe my visions, because he too was in the war. But I believe he is too stubborn to let the visions come through.
“Sameaul, my friend. I’m here to ask for your assistance, “I yelled.
A voice retorted, “Gandalf? What are you doing back here? Lost again?”
Sameaul’s footsteps crunched on the gravel, hesitantly approaching me. He put a hand up to my shoulder, to acknowledge that he was listening.
“I had a vision. A greater one this time, without any doomsday volcanos or asteroid predictions. This is different. It requires the destruction of the Fertility Test. I know what you’re thinking, this is insane. This is the foundation of Gator Bay. You may be right, but it needs to be done. You’ve seen what this fertility epidemic has done to families and children. So many taken away. I pictured the Test embraced in a fury of flames. We must listen to the vision. I remember being torn from my mother’s arms at ten years old. I left three sisters behind and have only seen them a handful of times since. I refuse to let that happen to any other children. I need your eyes for this plan to work.”
Sameaul stayed quiet for several moments. I feared this quiet retort may be the only answer I receive. He coughed a bit and stayed silent once again.
“You didn’t think this through, “he started, “How are you going to prevent any more fertility tests from being produced? They can always make more. How could we even get into the hospital? Plus, these visions never come true.”
I couldn’t really think of a response. My mind had been muddled with pictures of red children and red hospitals. I needed this to work. The visions must come true.
“The science. We destroy the science.They hold all the intellect remaining from before the war. Without supplies, books, or tools, they won’t be able to produce the tests ever again. No books. No test. This vision is true Sameaul, and we are going to make Gator Bay a better place,” I stated.
“I'll walk with you. But I won't promise to help,“ Sameaul murmured.
I gave a giddy smile and squeezed the shy lad. He grunted in response, but I felt him leaning into my embrace. We wandered to his house to reconvene in the morning.
...
As the sun rose, so did we. I grabbed my shopping cart full of knick-knacks and set off with Sameaul to the hospital. The rickety wheels creaked and squeaked over every pebble and divot in out path. The sounds were comforting when my vision was gone. My brain was wheeling with the possibilities of the operation going south. I tightened my grip on my electric lantern. It would be pivotal to the operation. My visions told me so. I could see the blur of its shape hurling through the air and more red. There were more red swirls and more fire covering the floor.
That was the plan anyways. Sameaul thinks I’m too optimistic. But I can hear it in his voice, he thinks I’m crazy, just like all the others. But it will work. I saw it work in my vision.
We needed food and supplies before our journey could continue. As the night grew closer, the crickets chirping became replaced with rancorous bartering. As the noises grew, my vision started to return to return and I was able to pick my dinner. I sat nearby the Trading Post and looked around briefly for Sameaul. He must have gone to use the bathroom.
Then I spotted him, talking to the shop owner. Sameaul looked too happy; he looked much too comfortable with that guy. I don’t have a good feeling about that guy. In fact, I-
The colors filled my vision and clouded my mind. The room began to spin and I saw red. I saw red fire, red blood, and red hands. An image formed in my mind. It was a face, but too blurry to make out. I looked much closer and deeper at the image. Then I knew what had to be done.
The colors faded. My vision partially returned and I saw the face again. He was talking to the merchant. Picking myself off the uneven group I lumbered over the the table, my trusty lantern by my side. The shadows of their smiles bounced off its light. With one swift motion, I heaved the lantern onto Gandalf's head, and with a subtle crack the red blood returned. My vision came true.
I have been alive for a long time, perhaps too long in this remnant of a world. Since the Calamity, over 55 years ago, life has been difficult. I was in the war. I saw the crashes, the injuries, and the blood. The enemy stared me in the face. I feel the vibrations still, in my bones, rattling from the bombs. They took my vision, with their weapons. It comes back sometimes, but they took my colors. The enemy took my colors, but they gave me visions. I can predict the future, you know. They usually tell me where to find my butterflies. But today was bigger than butterflies. Today is for anarchy.
I need working eyes to follow the vision. I need Sameaul.
I traveled two days to Gamma Town West Side. It should not have taken two days, but the sounds of the river carried me too far. I could sense Sameaul’s house from the sound of hedge clippers breaking through the silence of the forest. We had met twice before, when I was hunting for butterflies. Sameaul never had visitors, and was too old for a profession in the Gamma Guild. I knew he would believe my visions, because he too was in the war. But I believe he is too stubborn to let the visions come through.
“Sameaul, my friend. I’m here to ask for your assistance, “I yelled.
A voice retorted, “Gandalf? What are you doing back here? Lost again?”
Sameaul’s footsteps crunched on the gravel, hesitantly approaching me. He put a hand up to my shoulder, to acknowledge that he was listening.
“I had a vision. A greater one this time, without any doomsday volcanos or asteroid predictions. This is different. It requires the destruction of the Fertility Test. I know what you’re thinking, this is insane. This is the foundation of Gator Bay. You may be right, but it needs to be done. You’ve seen what this fertility epidemic has done to families and children. So many taken away. I pictured the Test embraced in a fury of flames. We must listen to the vision. I remember being torn from my mother’s arms at ten years old. I left three sisters behind and have only seen them a handful of times since. I refuse to let that happen to any other children. I need your eyes for this plan to work.”
Sameaul stayed quiet for several moments. I feared this quiet retort may be the only answer I receive. He coughed a bit and stayed silent once again.
“You didn’t think this through, “he started, “How are you going to prevent any more fertility tests from being produced? They can always make more. How could we even get into the hospital? Plus, these visions never come true.”
I couldn’t really think of a response. My mind had been muddled with pictures of red children and red hospitals. I needed this to work. The visions must come true.
“The science. We destroy the science.They hold all the intellect remaining from before the war. Without supplies, books, or tools, they won’t be able to produce the tests ever again. No books. No test. This vision is true Sameaul, and we are going to make Gator Bay a better place,” I stated.
“I'll walk with you. But I won't promise to help,“ Sameaul murmured.
I gave a giddy smile and squeezed the shy lad. He grunted in response, but I felt him leaning into my embrace. We wandered to his house to reconvene in the morning.
...
As the sun rose, so did we. I grabbed my shopping cart full of knick-knacks and set off with Sameaul to the hospital. The rickety wheels creaked and squeaked over every pebble and divot in out path. The sounds were comforting when my vision was gone. My brain was wheeling with the possibilities of the operation going south. I tightened my grip on my electric lantern. It would be pivotal to the operation. My visions told me so. I could see the blur of its shape hurling through the air and more red. There were more red swirls and more fire covering the floor.
That was the plan anyways. Sameaul thinks I’m too optimistic. But I can hear it in his voice, he thinks I’m crazy, just like all the others. But it will work. I saw it work in my vision.
We needed food and supplies before our journey could continue. As the night grew closer, the crickets chirping became replaced with rancorous bartering. As the noises grew, my vision started to return to return and I was able to pick my dinner. I sat nearby the Trading Post and looked around briefly for Sameaul. He must have gone to use the bathroom.
Then I spotted him, talking to the shop owner. Sameaul looked too happy; he looked much too comfortable with that guy. I don’t have a good feeling about that guy. In fact, I-
The colors filled my vision and clouded my mind. The room began to spin and I saw red. I saw red fire, red blood, and red hands. An image formed in my mind. It was a face, but too blurry to make out. I looked much closer and deeper at the image. Then I knew what had to be done.
The colors faded. My vision partially returned and I saw the face again. He was talking to the merchant. Picking myself off the uneven group I lumbered over the the table, my trusty lantern by my side. The shadows of their smiles bounced off its light. With one swift motion, I heaved the lantern onto Gandalf's head, and with a subtle crack the red blood returned. My vision came true.